It’s September already, which means the leaves will start changing, the weather’s getting cooler, and COLLEGEFEST IS COMING UP!
CollegeFest, Campus Philly’s all-day welcome event for new and returning college students, will take place on September 12 at Dilworth Park at City Hall from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. We’re expecting 5,000 students, so get excited to meet new friends and meet Philadelphia. Be sure to RSVP on Facebook to let us know you’re coming, and check out a few of the highlights that you can expect from the day.
First Things First
Make sure you come to Dilworth Park and check in at the Campus Philly booth first thing! If you have a valid college student ID (from any school, it doesn’t necessarily have to be in the Philadelphia area), you will get a wristband that will get you free entrance into our partner museums and free all-day access to ride the Philly PHLASH, the downtown bus loop with stops at 22 of the city’s most popular attractions and cultural institutions.
Local and National Exhibitors
After checking in, head over to check out our exhibitors. There will be all kinds of awesomeness happening, including a rock climbing wall and punching bag from Army ROTC, a dunk tank (!) courtesy of Vanguard, a make-your-own sunglasses booth from AT&T, spin wheel from SALT, make-your-own-emoji station from Billy Penn, free iced coffee courtesy of Capital One 360, games from IKEA and ISEPTAPHILLY, and more! Be sure to bring some money to sample the local food from our food vendors and the Rosa Blanca Cafe!
Kimmel Center Stage Performances
You’ll be jamming out all day to Worldtown DJs on the Kimmel Center Stage, interspersed with interviews and contests from our partners ISEPTAPHILLY, Eastern State Penitentiary, National Constitution Center, Army ROTC, Academy of Vocal Arts, The Barnes Foundation, The Harvest Open Mic, EgoPo Classic Theater, and The Mann Center. There’ll be sing-offs, dance-offs, pushup contests, spoken word, and more, so be sure to check it out!
Free Museums
This year, we’re partnering with eight museums across Philadelphia so that you’ll get to explore the city’s arts and culture scene, all for free. Take your pick of:
African American Museum in Philadelphia — Dedicated to preserving, interpreting, and exhibiting the heritage of African Americans.
Eastern State Penitentiary — “America’s most historic prison” is now a beautiful ruin known for its grand architecture, tours, galleries and seasonal haunted house, Terror Behind the Walls.
Franklin Institute — Tour the iconic Giant Heart, explore outer space, and check out the special exhibits Genghis Khan and Art of the Brick (just extended) available for $10 after free admission.
Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts — Check out their open house from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. featuring free performances, ticket giveaways, behind-the-scenes tours, #stageselfies and more.
National Constitution Center — Visit Signers’ Hall, plus special exhibits Speaking Out for Equality and Religious Liberty, included in admission.
Philadelphia History Museum — Includes Movers and Shakers, a new exhibit exploring the city during the 70s and 80s through photography, plus the Community History Gallery feature on the German Society of Pennsylvania.
Philadelphia Museum of Art — Jog the steps like Rocky, then explore the world-class collections; there is an opportunity to pay extra to catch the final day of the hit Discovering the Impressionists show!
Rodin Museum — The largest collection of sculptor Auguste Rodin’s works outside of Paris!
So Basically…
This is the one party of the year you don’t want to miss! See you on September 12 at CollegeFest at Dilworth Park to meet friends and meet Philadelphia.
